Holidays with a difference - see what?

[ozleicester]

Inspiered by the discussion about visiting Dallas and the grassy knoll etc,

I thought other might have some good ideas, we like to have holidays with a bit of a difference, not just the tourist stuff, maybe stuff that is historically interesting or important.

eg.

Dallas - Grassy Knoll

Cairo - Trahair Square

So, lets see if the FTers can make our/your next trip a little more interesting or educational?. List where you are going and maybe someone can suggest something to see there?

Ill start,

Im off to California - Utah and Nevada later this year, what interesting, politically relevant or unusual place is a must see?

[Zingari]

While you are in the "land of the free" and visiting Nevada , ask for a tour around Area 51.

[Babylon]

Probably a bit too touristy for this thread, but I thought San Francisco was amazing. A tour of Alcatraz, walking over the Golden Gate Bridge, the winding Lombard Street, steep roads and traveling on the cable cars, doing the Bullitt car chase route, Pier 39, Chinatown... and not forgetting Mrs Doutfires house

Oh and there is a road called Filbert Street that I stumbled across.

[Darkon84]

Inspiered by the discussion about visiting Dallas and the grassy knoll etc,

I thought other might have some good ideas, we like to have holidays with a bit of a difference, not just the tourist stuff, maybe stuff that is historically interesting or important.

eg.

Dallas - Grassy Knoll

Cairo - Trahair Square

So, lets see if the FTers can make our/your next trip a little more interesting or educational?. List where you are going and maybe someone can suggest something to see there?

Ill start,

Im off to California - Utah and Nevada later this year, what interesting, politically relevant or unusual place is a must see?

Still haven't had a chance to get over to America yet, so hope you have a good time. It might be slightly geeky, but while in Utah, you should take a trip to the Natural History Museum, as it's got one of the greatest collection across the fossil record (particularly dinosaurs and invertebrates between the Triassic and Cretaceous), due to the hundreds of incredible dig sites around the state (many of which you can visit too).

[Alexikokopops]

I went to Ukraine t'other week and popped along to Chernobyl and Pripyat. Crazy place. Awesome though. I also ended up in a war museum in Kiev where there were some gloves from a concentration camp made of human skin. Grim.

[Rocket-Ron]

Probably a bit too touristy for this thread, but I thought San Francisco was amazing. A tour of Alcatraz, walking over the Golden Gate Bridge, the winding Lombard Street, steep roads and traveling on the cable cars, doing the Bullitt car chase route, Pier 39, Chinatown... and not forgetting Mrs Doutfires house

Oh and there is a road called Filbert Street that I stumbled across.

Marilyn Monroe got married in Filbert Street

[Zingari]

Marilyn Monroe got married in Filbert Street

Saints Peter and Paul Church, San Francisco is located at 666 Filbert St.

Not very reassuring for a church

[turkish14]

Ok not as exotic as your destinations but any gems in salou and surrounding areas?

We think we know everything costa dorada has to offer but prove us wrong ;-) we hope this year to see torre Vella and too also visit tarragona which is rich in roman history anything else non touristy?

[The Quick Brown Fox]

I'm off to barca in a few weeks. I went a few years ago and did all the touristy things then, and I loved the place. This time I hope to do some not so touristy things, any ideas?

[vandamman]

I'm off to barca in a few weeks. I went a few years ago and did all the touristy things then, and I loved the place. This time I hope to do some not so touristy things, any ideas?

You may have done it already but the monastery at Montserrat is impressive, worth it even for the cable car going up.

[Monk]

A few I've done in the last few yrs with historical significance -

The spot where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot in Sarajevo, starting WW1

The Joint Security area between north and South Korea

Hiroshima - the T bridge

[The Quick Brown Fox]

You may have done it already but the monastery at Montserrat is impressive, worth it even for the cable car going up.

Yeah been there, great view from the cable car on the way up. I want to go back to sagrada familia as its still being built. I just want to know some bits that are off the beaten track.

Cheers

[jonthefox]

I went to Ghandi's house a few years back.

[Captain...]

I'm going to Turkey in May, antalaya, anyone know of any oddities there? Don't want to spend the whole week on the beach eating kebabs.

[ozleicester]

Probably a bit too touristy for this thread, but I thought San Francisco was amazing. A tour of Alcatraz, walking over the Golden Gate Bridge, the winding Lombard Street, steep roads and traveling on the cable cars, doing the Bullitt car chase route, Pier 39, Chinatown... and not forgetting Mrs Doutfires house

Oh and there is a road called Filbert Street that I stumbled across.

thanks.. forgot the Bullitt route... planned most of those.. except mrs Doubtfire,

Still haven't had a chance to get over to America yet, so hope you have a good time. It might be slightly geeky, but while in Utah, you should take a trip to the Natural History Museum, as it's got one of the greatest collection across the fossil record (particularly dinosaurs and invertebrates between the Triassic and Cretaceous), due to the hundreds of incredible dig sites around the state (many of which you can visit too).

cool thanks.. may try to get to that

I went to Ukraine t'other week and popped along to Chernobyl and Pripyat. Crazy place. Awesome though. I also ended up in a war museum in Kiev where there were some gloves from a concentration camp made of human skin. Grim.

Would love to see Chernobyl and Prip.

A few I've done in the last few yrs with historical significance -

The spot where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot in Sarajevo, starting WW1

The Joint Security area between north and South Korea

Hiroshima - the T bridge

Hiroshima T bridge would be incredibly interesting

I'm going to Turkey in May, antalaya, anyone know of any oddities there? Don't want to spend the whole week on the beach eating kebabs.

I always wanted to see Pamukkale in turkey.. but ive heard its a bugger to get to?

[ozleicester]

While you are in the "land of the free" and visiting Nevada , ask for a tour around Area 51.

There is no area 51 and i should know, ive been there)

[Zingari]

There is no area 51 and i should know, ive been there)

There must be , they've even made a film about it

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1519461/

[Alexikokopops]

I always wanted to see Pamukkale in turkey.. but ive heard its a bugger to get to?

I went to Pammukale last October. It was amazing. It wasn't too bad, we came on a train from the west (which was a few hours) then headed south on a bus for a couple of hours - there's enough buses and trains to sort you out.

I'm going to Turkey in May, antalaya, anyone know of any oddities there? Don't want to spend the whole week on the beach eating kebabs.

Shrapnel (I'm not having any of this new name), I did a couple of weeks in Turkey at the end of last year, starting in Istanbul, ending up in Cappadoccia and then heading back to Istanbul. If you head to Ephesus (it's near Izmir so a bit far from Antalya) then stay at a place called Atillas - it's a hostel with a pool and a bar and I had an awesome time. Pammukale was awesome. We headed down south around Fetihye and walked from there to Oludeniz (which will be closer to you). The walk was awesome, and it starts in a ghost town from the resettlement of nations between Turkey and Greece, but Oludeniz is a hell hole. I walked along the beach front and all I could hear from EVERY bar was Martin Tyler. We sat in a restaurant and it was full of English middle age men in Man Utd shirts with their family in tow. If I wanted that I'd head ANYWHERE IN ENGLAND. Nearer to Antalya is a place where you can stay in treehouses and there's a pool nearby where you can go for a swim and the plankton glows at night. I'll try and find the name of the treehouse place if you want. They did a great breakfast. Also, if you head to Kos you can do a sea kayak thing which takes you over an old Roman sunken city - it's alright but in our heads it was A LOT more impressive than it actually was. I think I was expecting to kayak over the Colluseum or something. Still not too bad. However, the thing I'd recommend if possible is to hop on an 8 hour bus (don't worry, they're comfy air conditioned coaches) from Antalya to Cappadoccia and spend a few days there. It's a stunning place. You can go on a walk down this amazing valley where there's a tea shop actually on the river and shitloads of caves with Christian paintings on the roof. There's some incredible natural rock features (the fairy chimneys - they also comically look a bit like giant penises) which are a lot of fun to climb around and find hidden caves and the like. There's underground cities, a giant monastery (which I can't remember what it's called) built into a giant rock, and you can take a hot air balloon ride (topical) which is stunning. I cannot recommend Cappadocia enough.

Sorry about the mind splurge. I'm on my phone and got a bit carried away.

[Jon the Hat]

I went to Ukraine t'other week and popped along to Chernobyl and Pripyat. Crazy place. Awesome though. I also ended up in a war museum in Kiev where there were some gloves from a concentration camp made of human skin. Grim.

This reminds me of visiting the killing fields in Cambodia. And S-21.

[turkish14]

I'm off to barca in a few weeks. I went a few years ago and did all the touristy things then, and I loved the place. This time I hope to do some not so touristy things, any ideas?

Try the Olympic park sight of the 1992 Olympics, the museum and stadium were free when we went ( if I remember correctly). We thought it was brilliant! If you go mid afternoon time, take a short walk down to the fountains which are a must see. The fountains are choreographed to the music and laser light show. But try and get seats higher up the hill as its usually packed.

I know this is still touristy but never as popular as the " bigger" attractions Barcelona as too offer.

Edit: Ok actually still very touristy brownfox, if your other replies are anything to go by. impulse got the better of me ;-)

[Captain...]

This reminds me of visiting the killing fields in Cambodia. And S-21.

They were horrendous, very chilling, I remember the tuk-tuk driver on the way back from the killing fields asking if we wanted to go to a shooting range and blow-up a cow.

We weren't really in the mood for that after walking round mass graves.

[MooseBreath]

They were horrendous, very chilling, I remember the tuk-tuk driver on the way back from the killing fields asking if we wanted to go to a shooting range and blow-up a cow.

We weren't really in the mood for that after walking round mass graves.

Pussy.

I threw a grenade for $45. Wanted to try the rocket launcher as well but they said it wasn't working or some shit. Never got the chance to blow up a cow though. That would have been memorable.

[Captain...]

I went to Pammukale last October. It was amazing. It wasn't too bad, we came on a train from the west (which was a few hours) then headed south on a bus for a couple of hours - there's enough buses and trains to sort you out.

Shrapnel (I'm not having any of this new name), I did a couple of weeks in Turkey at the end of last year, starting in Istanbul, ending up in Cappadoccia and then heading back to Istanbul. If you head to Ephesus (it's near Izmir so a bit far from Antalya) then stay at a place called Atillas - it's a hostel with a pool and a bar and I had an awesome time. Pammukale was awesome. We headed down south around Fetihye and walked from there to Oludeniz (which will be closer to you). The walk was awesome, and it starts in a ghost town from the resettlement of nations between Turkey and Greece, but Oludeniz is a hell hole. I walked along the beach front and all I could hear from EVERY bar was Martin Tyler. We sat in a restaurant and it was full of English middle age men in Man Utd shirts with their family in tow. If I wanted that I'd head ANYWHERE IN ENGLAND. Nearer to Antalya is a place where you can stay in treehouses and there's a pool nearby where you can go for a swim and the plankton glows at night. I'll try and find the name of the treehouse place if you want. They did a great breakfast. Also, if you head to Kos you can do a sea kayak thing which takes you over an old Roman sunken city - it's alright but in our heads it was A LOT more impressive than it actually was. I think I was expecting to kayak over the Colluseum or something. Still not too bad. However, the thing I'd recommend if possible is to hop on an 8 hour bus (don't worry, they're comfy air conditioned coaches) from Antalya to Cappadoccia and spend a few days there. It's a stunning place. You can go on a walk down this amazing valley where there's a tea shop actually on the river and shitloads of caves with Christian paintings on the roof. There's some incredible natural rock features (the fairy chimneys - they also comically look a bit like giant penises) which are a lot of fun to climb around and find hidden caves and the like. There's underground cities, a giant monastery (which I can't remember what it's called) built into a giant rock, and you can take a hot air balloon ride (topical) which is stunning. I cannot recommend Cappadocia enough.

Sorry about the mind splurge. I'm on my phone and got a bit carried away.

Cheers for the mind splurge, will look into some of them.

[birdwith2beaksandnofriends]

I'd love to go to Oz, ride atop the lion's head, sleep beneath the stars with tinman and frolic amongst the Oz daisys with Tik-Tok (even though technically these characters lived at different times).

Scarecrow can do one. That was just a man in a costume. Plus, I'm a crow.

[Babylon]

I went to Ghandi's house a few years back.

Was he in?